Flushing device for water-closets



May 22, 1928. 1,670,326 J. M. TEAHEN FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WATER CLOSETS Filed Nov. 21, 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 1 ill] 11 HI i w W l R i u i am; I f HM! i r i Hul It l ll l 'l I "K'II I Z k ll Z l i i I i l '1' I z i 1 w 2 R1 & vi X dkmes NVEQ/ZeYZ W mm Mk May 22, 1928. 1,670,326 J. M. TEAHEN FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WATER CLOSETS Filed Nov. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oer-ice.

JAMES m. 'rnannn, or nnrnorr, moment ILUSHING DEVICE FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

Application nled November 21,1927. Serial No. 234,742.

flushing is developed through siphonic action. With such structures it is essential that the orifice through which the water from the tank is discharged into the bowl should be beneath the normal water seal so as to establish and to maintain siphonic connection with the tank until the seal is broken. .On the other hand, it is necessary for the proper cleansing of the bowl that a certain amount of water should be duced through the rim.

It is the object of the present invention to obtain a construction in which, duringga: interval requiredlfor the portion of the time flushing operation, water from the suppl through the rim into t e bowl while during the remainder of the time all of the water from the supply is used for refilling the tank. This result is obtained through the operation of automatic mechanism as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of the bowl and the tank integral therewith showing my improved flushing device applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the automatic float controlled valve.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure -2 showing the valve in open position.

As shown in Figure 1 A is the water closet howl which is ormed integral with a tank B. G is a channel leading from the tank B to a discharge orifice D within the bowl which is located below the normal level of the water seal indicated by the line E. The passage C is normallv'closed by the float ball flush valve F which when raised from its seat operates in the usual manner to permit the free discharge of the contents of the tank.

The water supply connection for the tank is operated by a float controlled valve usually known as the ball cock wh1ch, upon the fall of the water level in the tank, 18 opened and is closed u on the refilling of the tank to the normal iieight. Inasmuch, however, as the water admitted through the ball cock is also used for the rim flush, I have devised a control mechanism of the following construction; G is an abundant quantity 0 introlatter passage is restricted will 1t P into line is discharged the water supply conduitwhich is shown as entering through the bottom of the tank B and rising to near the top thereof. H is a fitting at the upper end of said conduit containing the seat I for the valve J located in a cylindrical upward extension of the fitting and operated by the float lever K. The cylinder I communlc'ates with the laterally extending conduit L whlch In turn communicates with a conduit M leading to the rim flush and a conduit N for discharging into the tank.' These passages are so fashioned that the water from the passage L is directed downward toward the discharge conduit N and only when the the conduit M leading to the rim flush.

As specifically shown the fitting H has an S-shaped portion extending from a passage f L to the passage N with an annular enlargement N surrounding and communicating with the passage N. O is a hollow piston valve slidably engaging the passage N and forming a downward extension thereof. P is a float at the lower end of the member 0 which is so located and of such buoyancy that when the tank B is filled to its normal level the piston 0 will be held in raised position between the annular passa e N and said passage N. This will compe a greater portion of the water entering through the passage L to discharge through the conduit M making a return-bend around a partition or deflector M.

With the parts constructed as described, in operation whenever the flush valve is raised the water in the tank H will first pass through the conduit G into the bowl raising the level in the latter to a point where it will establish siphonic action. This discharge from the tank will lower the level therein, the first eflect of which is to open the ball cock J so that water from the 811%- ply conduit G is admitted into the fitting At this time the hollow piston valve 0 being in raised position, substantially all of the water entering the fitting H is compelled to pass through the conduit M to the rim of the bowl where it will dischar e to wash the walls of the bowl. The action continues in this way until the water in the tank is almost com letely discharged whereupon the falhng of t e water away from the float P will permit said float an the valve 0 to drop, opening connection through the hollow piston to the tank. The continueddischar e of water from the ball cock will then e directed downward through the hollow iston 0 refilling the tank until nearl ful whereupon the float P will raise the ho low piston to cut 011 further discharge.

The rise of the float and hollow piston valve is delayed by the pressure of the water against the upper end of said valve and also by the friction of the water flowing downward therethrough. Its resistance is suificient to hold the float from movement until the tank is nearly full whereupon the diminished volume of water passing the nearly closed ball cock will be insufficient to balance the float and the latter will rise again closing the passage N. It is necessary, however, to still admit water to the tank so as to raise the level to a point for fully closing the ball cock as otherwise water would continue to flow through the passage N and rim. A small quantity of water is requiredto pass this way so as to again establish the water seal in the bowl but further discharge would be only wasteful of water. I therefore preferably provide a restricted by-pass which when the valve 0 is fully closed, will still admit a small quantity of water into the tank. As shown this by-pass consists in one or more slots 0 through the wall of the piston valve which re ister with the annular passage N' in the c osed position of the valve 0 permitting the passage of suflicient water to complete the filling of the tank. The quantity so admitted is, however, small in comarison with the full quantity of water passing the ball cock when the latter is fully open so that the efliciency of the rim flush is not materially diminished. The elements of the structure just described may be formed in an suitable way but I prefer to form the hollow iston valve 0 and the float P inteal an of vulcanized rubber or an equivaent material. I also limit the movement of the valve 0 by a pin or set screw Q, passing through the wall of the passage N and engagin a slot R in the member 0. This will he d the parts from accidental disengagement but will permit of a. normal function- The construction of the mechanism above described is in effect a timin device which for a portion of the intervzfi required for flushing, discharges substantially the full volume of water from the ball cock through the rim and in a succeeding interval directs said discharge into the tank to refill the same. This timing is, however efi'ected by means available, viz, the change of water levels within the tank in cooperation with the float controlled piston valve. Thus I avoid complexity in construction and accomplish a perfect timing of the discharge which reduces the quantity of water required to the minimum.

What I claim as my'invention is:

1. The combination with a water closet bowl and a flushing tank therefor, ofa water supply connection for said tank, a ball cock controlling said water supply connection and means for directin the discharge from said ball cock alternatel y through the rim of the bowl and into the tank for refilling the same.

2. The combination with a Water closet bowl and a flushing tank therefor, of a water supply connection for said tank, a ball cock controlling said water supply connection, a conduit into whichthe water from said ball cock is discharged having branches respectively leading to the rim of the bowl and into the tank, and means operating during the interval in which the water is discharging from the tank for directing the reater part of the water admitted to said con uit through the branch leading to the rim and for then directing the reater part of the water into the tank to re 1 the same.

3. The combination with a water closet bowl and a flushing tank therefor, of a water supply connection for said tank, a ball cock controlling said water supply connection, a conduit into which the water from said ball cock is discharged havin branches leadin respectively to the rim an into the tank an means operated b the fall and rise of water in the tank for discharging the greater part of the water admitted to said conduit through the rim branch during the discharge of water from the tank for then directin the greater part of the water into the tank to refill the same and finally dividin the water to com lete the filling of the tan and re-cstablish the water seal in the bowl.

4. The combination with a water closet bowl and a flushing tank therefor, of a water supply connection, a ball cock controlling the discharge of water from said water supply connection, a conduit into which the water from said ball cock is dischar ed having a laterally extending branch leading to the rim of the bowl and a downwardly extending branch for discharging into the tank, a float operated valve controllin the latter branch normally substantially c osed to direct the greater part of the water through the rim branch and opening when the tank is substantially emptied to admit water for refilling the same and means for delayin the reclosin of said valve until the tan is nearly ull.

5. The combination with a water closet bowl and a flushing tank therefor, of a water supply connection for said tank, a ball cock controlling said water supply connection, a conduit into which the water from said ball cock is discharged having branches leading respectively to the rim of the bowl and downward into said tank, a hollow piston valve telescopically engaging said downward branch controlling the admission of water thereto, a float for holding said piston valve normally substantially closed to direct the eater part of the water to the rim, said oat being adapted to dro when the tank is nearl empty to open sai valve and to permit the flow of water therethrough into the tank to refill the same, the resistance of said flow of water being adapted to delay the gislilng of said float until the tank is nearly 6. The combination with a water closet bowl, a flushing tank therefor, a water supply connection for said tank and a ball cock controlling said water supply connection, of means for alternately directing water to discharge through said ball cock to the rim of the bowl and into the tank' comprising a conduit having laterally and downwardly extending branches, a hollow piston valve telescopically an aging said downwardly extending branc a float for normally holding said hollow piston valve inraised position where it intercepts communication to said downwardly extending branch, said float being adapted to drop when the tank is nearly empty toopen communication with said downwardly extending branch and to permit flow of water therethrough for refilling the tank, said flow delaying the rising of said float and closing of said valve until the tank is nearly full and a restricted by-pass opened into said tank when said valve is closed to complete the refilling of the tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

J AMES M. TEAHEN. 

